Rotary drum food processing apparatus such as rotating drum cookers, blanchers, and coolers, are used where it is desired to treat a constant flow of food product over time. Typically, such equipment employs a helical auger fixed to a cylindrical drum having a perforated outer skin. The drum is mounted within a water tank, usually covered, and is rotated at the speed required to achieve a desired residence time of the food product within the water tank. The perforated skin of the drum contains the food product while allowing the water bath to fill the lower regions of the drum and support and exchange heat with the food product.
Food product is introduced into the rotating drum through an inclined inlet chute or ramp. The entry of the food product into the tank is cushioned somewhat by the water bath. Once within the tank the food product is gently advanced by the motion of the helical auger. Once the food product has traversed the tank, however, it must be elevated above the water level to be discharged from the tank. Granular or particulate food product or food product which is not susceptible to tearing or rupture may be elevated employing a series of rotating lifting flights which continuously lift the food product and discharge it into a chute which remains fixed with respect to the rotating drum.
Food product which is sensitive to damage or food product contained within flexible plastic membrane pouches, must be handled differently to avoid catching or pinching of the product between the fixed chute and the rotating flights. One approach which has been successfully employed for handling pouched food product is to extend outwardly the tank from the drum to provide space for an inclined conveyor belt to extend from the very lowest portion of the tank to a level above the water level. Although such a discharge assembly provides satisfactory performance in handling delicate product, the additional volume required for the inclined conveyor requires additional floor space, and the mechanical complexity of the inclined conveyor represents a significant additional cost to the apparatus.
What is needed is a discharge for a rotating drum food processing apparatus which can economically handle sensitive or pouched food product without damage.